By: Mrs. Piotrowski
It’s the sound every teacher dreams of: absolute silence, followed by the collective "Nooo!" when the bell rings. In our sixth-grade classrooms, a literary fever has taken hold, and the culprit is Margaret Peterson Haddix’s dystopian classic, Among the Hidden.
What started as a standard class reading has transformed into a full-blown obsession. Students have been transported into the world of Luke Garner, a "shadow child" living in a society where having a third sibling is a crime. Having to hide as a third child, Luke faces many challenges and dilemmas. This book has turned even the most reluctant readers into dedicated fans.
Haddix is the master of the "just one more chapter" ending, making it nearly impossible for students to stop at the end of a chapter! They love the writing style and cliff hangers so much that many of the students are already planning to tackle the rest of the series.
Watching students trade theories and rush to the library to grab the sequels has been the highlight of the year. It turns out that in a world of digital distractions, a gripping story is still the most powerful thing in the room.